The Arts Project

The ARTS PROJECT analyzes the effects of intellectual property on cultural production, and is supported by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation.

Copyright's Futures?
A preview from the Center's forthcoming comic book Theft! A History of Music – a history of musical borrowing and regulation, from Plato to hip hop – is featured in the San Francisco Chronicle. »more about the comic

IP and Documentary Film
What types of the hurdles are faced by documentary filmmakers in trying to clear rights? What are some possible ways to solve these problems? Find answers to these questions on our explanatory chart of rights clearance problems and solutions.

Copyright Office
Center submits proposals to the Copyright Office on Access to Orphan Works and Orphan Films. Orphan Works probably comprise the majority of the record of 20th century culture: works still presumably under copyright, where the owner cannot be found. (more)

Short movies

To Clear or not to Clear Filmmaker Chris Hegedus discusses how rights clearance practices have changed since the making of “Don’t Look Back”

Disappearing History? Filmmaker Orlando Bagwell talks about making “Citizen King” and why “Eyes on the Prize” is no longer in circulation

Great Composers Steal Composer Anthony Kelley visits classical and jazz traditions and explains why you can find a doppelganger for almost any tune

Documentary Filmmaking(MPEG version)
Legal experts James Boyle and John Sloss discuss the legal and practical realities facing documentary filmmakers, including copyright law and errors and omissions insurance

Music Sampling(MPEG version)
Music lawyer Whitney Broussard describes how law can change the kind of music that gets made, and how clearance processes can make the whole artistic community poorer